A bonus for the film was the hundreds of audio clips recorded at Farm Security Administration camps throughout the United States in 1939-1941 by two Library of Congress representatives, Charles L. Todd and Robert Sonkin. Using some of these recordings was very important to the film as they provide viewers with true stories from people who experienced the Dust Bowl first hand. Of the clips used, the best description of what it was like to go from place to place looking for a job was a poem written by Imogene Chapin and recorded by Todd and Sonkin. The poem read by her really brings to life a certain feeling of the times experienced by so many.
You might be asking, "what was the purpose behind creating the film?" The answer is the future. The stories and expressions recorded on disc and film provide us with the warnings we need to heed. The natural environment is fragile and if we do not heed the warnings left by those before us, the future will be difficult for our children's children.
To view the photographs and listen to audio clips of the Dust Bowl period visit these Library of Congress websites:
The film has two versions, an educational cut and the director's cut. The educational cut allows students to learn about the Dust Bowl in a short time period (26:45 minutes). The director's cut is a more dramatic presentation with additional audio clips and a complete historical account. The educational version aired on WEIU-PBS on October 25, 2007. The full version will be available in November. Both versions will be provided on the DVD. |
